Apple Beefing Up iCloud Security

Apple has started to beef up the security of its iCloud service, according to changes spotted by AppleInsider recently. The company has apparently started to lock certain iCloud web apps, like Numbers, Pages, Keynote, Pages, Mail, Notes and more, behind two-factor authentication on some accounts. FindMyiPhone is not behind the additional security wall.

We checked our own iCloud account on Tuesday and noticed that it’s still operating as it always has, though in the screen shot above you can see the “lock” icons next to specific apps. Those applications are then only unlocked after an iCloud password is entered in addition to a short code that is sent to an approved device, AppleInsider said. Two-factor authentication makes it much harder, if not nearly impossible, to hack an account without having that secondary approved device and the code sent to it. Google, Twitter and plenty of other services also offer two-factor authentication, though they are typically off by default.

Apple has not yet publicly announced the changes to iCloud, though as AppleInsider notes the company has long offered two-factor authentication for its accounts — just not yet for iCloud web apps. We’re not sure when it will roll out to everyone but we’ll let you know as soon as we find out.